"A more reserved life" - Arthur explains how Lionel Messi is different from Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar
Juventus midfielder Arthur Melo has revealed what differentiates Lionel Messi from Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar. The former Gremio man revealed that Lionel Messi is more reserved than the other two, while also praising his work ethic.
Neymar is widely regarded as one of the best players of his generation, while Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are in the all-time greatest debate.
Arthur has had the rare privilege of playing with all three players in his career. He teamed up with Messi at Barcelona, shared a dressing room with Ronaldo in Turin at Juventus, and is currently a part of the Brazilian national team with Neymar.
Speaking to TNT Sports Brasil, Arthur said:
"He is reserved, but also outgoing. A great professional, he works a lot. He has a more reserved life, maybe not like Cristiano or Neymar, but because of his personality, he can do whatever he wants. He also helped me a lot when I arrived at Barcelona. He spoke highly of me in interviews in my early days in Europe. It has also been a privilege to work with him."
Arthur arrived at Juventus in 2020 from Barcelona as part of a swap deal which saw Miralem Pjanic go the other way. He has made just 57 appearances across competitions since he arrived at the Old Lady.
Arthur has overcome an early-season injury and is now a regular in the Juventus midfield, starting each of their last three Serie A matches. He has made 25 appearances across competitions this season, giving one assist.
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Full focus on the second leg! 🙏🏻💪🏻 https://t.co/nCJxxj0Ss6
The 25-year-old will look to play a role as the Bianconeri seek to progress to the quarterfinals of the UEFA Champions League when they host Villarreal on Wednesday. (17 March)
Has the Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi era of dominance come to an end?
Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have dominated the footballing stage like no other pair before them.
The duo have taken the game to previously unimagined heights with their displays and it is almost impossible to determine who the better player is.
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Always a pleasure and a privilege to share some thoughts and ideas with another GOAT… 👏🏽👊🏽 https://t.co/HsFe7UxjQ6
Despite their seemingly otherworldly abilities, it is pertinent to note that both men are still human and currently on the wrong side of 30.
They are not immune from the rigors and effects of time and their performance levels have significantly dropped in recent years.
Messi's move to Paris Saint-Germain has not generated the positive headlines many believed it would. Cristiano Ronaldo, despite his best efforts, has not been able to lift Manchester United from their cycle of mediocrity.
Both men were eliminated from the UEFA Champions League at the round-of-16 stage and failed to make a mark, which was not the case in years gone by.
The end of the Messi-Ronaldo era is always bound to come and football fans who were lucky enough to witness their greatness first-hand will be eternally grateful.